Bonieta Miller

Bonieta Miller, of Dawson, died Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at CCM Health in Montevideo at the age of 93.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 1:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church in Dawson.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, January 22, 2025 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson with a prayer service at 6:30 PM.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Dawson Cemetery Association  in care of:  Paul Hill,1935 291st Ave, Dawson, MN 56232

.Arrangements are with Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson.  www.andersontebeest.com

Bonieta Marie Sommerfeld was born December 20, 1931 to Ervin and Elsie (Richter) Sommerfeld on the farm in Hammer Township, Yellow Medicine County. She was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Omro Township. Bonieta began Sunday school at Zaccheus Lutheran Church in Canby. She began school in District 81 a couple miles from the family farm. 

Bonieta’s family moved March 1, 1942 south of Canby and then attended Canby Elementary School and was one of the participants in the elementary’s Operetta – Peter Rabbit. Her parents purchased a farm in Cerro Gordo Township northeast of Dawson where they moved February 20, 1943. She returned to country school in District 6 until completing 8th grade. Bonieta’s family joined Lac qui Parle Lutheran Church where she was confirmed November 18, 1945. While attending there she was active in Children’s Mission Circle, Luther League and sang in a teenage girls’ choir.

Bonieta graduated from Dawson High School on June 1, 1949 and then attended Minneapolis Business College for Private Secretary’s course graduating in spring of 1950. She began employment at Northwestern State Bank in Dawson until her marriage. Bonieta’s family joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Dawson in 1950. While there she taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and did bulletins for the church. 

Bonieta married George H. Miller on August 30, 1952. They made their home on a farm southeast of Dawson. They were active in the Providence-Maxwell Farmers Union and had served on the Action Board. She also was one of the youth teachers and were also members of the Dawson Dudes and Dolls Square Dance Club for 10 years. They did some traveling to several states, Canada and Mexico. They purchased a used RV travel trailer and began seasonal camping at the Big Horn Bay Resort on Lake Ida in 1976. She continued going after George’s death and purchased a larger, more modern trailer in 1998. When the Resort went to an Association in 2004, she went to Lakeview RV Resort at Starbuck until 2014.

After her marriage she joined First Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School, sang in the choir since 1960, held numerous offices in Presbyterian Women, was an ordained elder, served on a Presbytery Committee and was on the coordinating team for Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery twice, and was church secretary for 44 ½ years.

Bonieta was elected as the first woman to the Board of Directors for Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light and Power Association in Montevideo from 1994-2003. While on the board she attended several National RECA annual meetings and a fly-in to Washington, D.C. She served on the PER Committee for Dawson-Boyd School several years, on the Countryside Public Health Committee and helped many years at the Red Cross Bloodmobile. She served on the boards of Dawson Housing, Inc. and Dawson Cemetery Association.

She lived on the farm until September of 2008 and moved to her new house in Dawson.

Bonieta was interested in vegetable and flower gardening, reading, playing cards, word searches, embroidery work, attending basketball games and music concerts at the school, going to the lake, attending senior citizens, and spending time with family and friends.

She is survived by her son, Robert Allan Miller; brother, Dennis (Wanda) Sommerfeld of Dawson; and many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Bonieta was preceded in death by her husband, George H. Miller on March 29, 1986; parents, Ervin and Elsie Sommerfeld; brother and wife, Duane and Hjordis Sommerfeld; sisters-in-law and husbands, Florence (Donald) Craigmile, Rachel (James) LeVasseur, and Irene (Elmer) Thompson.